Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Scott Zahler, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Police officials in Clayton County, Georgia investigated the death of a 2 year old girl (Jazmin Green) and received authority to make three arrests just one day following the unfortunate, tragic, and preventable death. Authorities arrested Marlo Maria Fallings, Quantabia Shantell Hopkins, and a juvenile. The charges included the following: involuntary manslaughter, cruelty to children, and reckless conduct involving the death of Jazmin Green. Jazmin Green went on a field trip with other children from the Marlo’s Magnificent Early Learning Center near Jonesboro, Georgia. The simple field trip to Chuck E. Cheese resulted in the death of an innocent 2 year old girl.
The criminal case against the three day care employees arrested will depend on the evidence, intent and / or recklessness of the criminal defendants, and the criminal laws in place for the State of Georgia. A criminal case is a separate and distinct proceeding from any civil case or insurance claim that may be pursued on a case of this nature.
It is estimated that the outside air temperature on the day of the incident was 92 degrees. The temperature in the van could have been in excess of 135 degrees. Jazmin’s death is one of over 500 similar deaths that have occurred since 1998. It is estimated that over half of these cases involved a child who was left behind in the backseat. See 3 Arrested in Death of 2 Year Old Left in Day Care Center Van.